Kenting Three Treasures Introduction
The three treasures of Hengchun were once "Qiongma, onion, and port tea," and now are "Qiongma, onion, and watermelon." With the passage of time, watermelon and onion remain the main agricultural products of the Hengchun Peninsula. However, Qiongma has gradually declined with the industrial changes in Taiwan. Today, only the "Qiongma Industrial History Exhibition Hall" remains, providing visitors insights into the rise and fall of Qiongma, serving as a testament to the once-thriving Qiongma industry. Qiongma: Among the three treasures of Hengchun, Qiongma is the most famous and historically significant. Qiongma in Taiwan was introduced by American consul Dewitt, initially attempted for cultivation at the Taipei Agricultural Experiment Station. The following year, several plants were transplanted to the Hengchun Tropical Breeding Station. Due to favorable trial conditions, large-scale cultivation began; in 1918, machinery and equipment were imported, marking the mechanization of Qiongma production. The uses of the fiber were diverse, being used for ropes, hammocks, sackcloth, shoes, mats, carpets, brushes, paper, and even as packaging materials in farms and factories. Due to promising prices, residents of Hengchun flocked to the mountains, cutting down trees and planting Qiongma seedlings on all usable land. At its peak, production reached 200 tons in a month, earning the reputation of "the light of the East." When prices were at their highest, Qiongma sold for NT$12 per catty, leading residents to gain substantial wealth, giving rise to the saying "Qiongma threads build tall buildings." Qiongma thus became a symbol of Hengchun. Following industrial growth and fierce international market competition, prices plummeted, and the profits from Qiongma became negligible. Consequently, Qiongma in Hengchun began to decline until tourism emerged once again, leading the villagers to shift their enthusiasm for cultivating Qiongma toward the tourism industry. Onion: The barren gravel soil and strong downwind in winter make the Hengchun Peninsula suitable for bulb onion growth. Moreover, the stronger the downwind, the better the quality of the onions. After over 30 varieties were imported from the United States in the 1950s, Hengchun became the main onion-producing area in Taiwan, even accounting for 80% of Japan's total onion imports in the 1970s. During the peak production season in March and April, piles of golden onions can be seen glimmering in the sunlight by the roadside. To market the onions, the Checheng Township Farmers' Association combines tourism to hold the "Hengchun Onion Festival/Carnival." Several onion by-products have been developed, making onions a representative specialty of Pingtung County. Port Tea: Produced in Gangkou Village of Manjhou Township, located at the estuary of Gangkou Creek, it is said that during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, the county magistrate at the time liked drinking tea, but there were no tea trees on the Hengchun Peninsula to obtain fresh tea. Therefore, a batch of tea was bought from Anxi, Fujian, and attempts to plant it in Hengchun and Manjhou were made. As a result, Gangkou Village in Manjhou Township successfully cultivated tea. The hilly terrain, sheltered from the northeast monsoon and receiving abundant rainfall from the southwest monsoon, is suitable for tea tree cultivation, hence the name Gangkou tea. Gangkou tea is primarily grown on hilly terraces and is produced year-round, although the planting area is small, with an annual output of about 600 kilograms. It is priced high, especially prized for spring and winter teas. Due to climatic and soil influences, the main feature of Gangkou tea is its strong bitterness, high concentration, and durability in steeping, along with its rich aroma and a lasting aftertaste. The unique tea flavor is said to have remarkable effects when consumed with rock sugar for treating coughs and colds, making it one of the specialties of Kenting National Park. Watermelon: In recent years, the Hengchun Peninsula has utilized the riverbeds of the Shichong Creek and Fenggang Creek to grow watermelons during the winter downwind season, making it the only place in Taiwan to produce watermelons in winter. The bright red flesh of the watermelon is as passionate as the fiery sun of Hengchun Peninsula. Watermelons produced locally are sweet, crunchy, and juicy, offering an excellent taste. As a result, watermelon is gradually replacing port tea among the three treasures of Hengchun.
Port Tea
Qiongma Industrial History Exhibition Area
